Cell Structures Lesson Plan: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures, and Processes
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This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Cell Structures, and supports the standard of describing the function of a cell as a whole and ways parts of cells contribute to the function. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.
Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
Ask students: What parts or systems do you know of that make up the human body?
Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE
- Read the description on the Cell Structures topic page.
- Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding.
- Have students read one of the Related Reading articles. Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.
Step 3: APPLY and ASSESS
Students take the Cell Structures Quiz, applying essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.
Step 4: EXTEND and DEEPEN
Students express what they learned about cell structures while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.
- Make-a-Movie: Produce a tutorial about cell structures that answers this question: What happens to food and energy when they enter a cell?
- Make-a-Map: Create a concept map identifying and describing each part of an animal cell.
- Creative Coding: Code a digital museum exhibit featuring artifacts that represent each part of an animal cell and its function.
More to Explore
Related BrainPOP Topics: Deepen understanding of cell structures and processes with these topics: Cells, Cell Specialization, and Mitosis.
Teacher Support Resources:
- Pause Point Overview: Video tutorial showing how Pause Points actively engage students to stop, think, and express ideas.
- Modifications for Learning Activities: Strategies to meet ELL and other instructional and student needs.
- Learning Activities Support: Resources for best practices using BrainPOP.
